


What Goes Around Comes Around

by sloanesaysno



Series: Wild Winds, Whipping Water, Fire Storms [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fire Nation (Avatar), Fire Nation Politics (Avatar), Gen, Minor Sokka/Suki, Sokka (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Stubborn Katara (Avatar), Toph Beifong and Zuko are Siblings, Waterbending & Waterbenders, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:14:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24960646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sloanesaysno/pseuds/sloanesaysno
Summary: Anja never wanted to change the world-- she only wanted to live in it. She only wanted to follow destiny's paved road and obey it. There would've been no trek, no long walks, no stopping to pick flowers in the grassy glades.But fate holds different things in store for her, and a determined decision makes what is old, new and what is gone, present. A world made of ash will never have a path set in stone, will it?
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Original Female Character(s) & Original Male Character(s), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang (Avatar) & Original Female Character(s), Toph Beifong & Zuko, Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Wild Winds, Whipping Water, Fire Storms [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817080
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	1. they aren't around

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a longer fic about Anja and Zuko. Basically, their journey from the Western Air Temple onwards. Canon compliant until the comics, and then I reign supreme. Might make some changes, might not. Posting once a week on Sundays, but it'll probably end up sporadic. Have fun!

When Zuko says, "I've lost my stuff," Anja only glances up at him with mild interest. She's not that fond of his fancy swords or disguises, but she does know the agony of losing one's items.

"Don't look at me," Toph says nonchalantly. "I didn't touch your stuff."

Zuko sighs. "I'm talking about my Firebending. It's gone," he says, sounding dejected. He frowns at Katara with obvious annoyance when she lets out a laugh at that.

"I'm sorry. I'm just laughing at the irony. You know, how it would've been nice for us if you lost your Firebending a long time ago," Katara smirks, cocking a brow.

Anja's eyes widen. "Agni, you aren't kidding, are you?" she says, sitting up straighter as she searches Zuko's face for any hint of amusement, but then again, Zuko's not that ridiculous. "It isn't truly gone, can it?"

"Well, it's not lost," Zuko says. "It's just... weaker for some reason."

"Maybe you're not just as good as you think you are," Katara scoffs wryly. 

"Ouch," Toph grins, a sardonic smile on her lips. 

Anja, though she does look concerned, lets out a huff of dry laughter. She winces at Zuko's annoyed stare. 

"I bet it's because I changed sides," Zuko says, his voice a bit more quiet. 

"That's not possible," Katara says dismissively. 

"I don't know," Aang starts, sounding a bit uncertain. "Maybe it isn't. Maybe your Firebending comes from rage and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it."

"Aang is right," Anja says. "Firebenders have to make their own fire-- I'm certain it's mostly governed by strong emotion, besides strength of will. That emotion is usually anger, isn't it?"

She glances up at Zuko, who looks like he's agreeing with her understanding of it. 

"So... all we need to do is make Zuko angry!" Sokka leaps to his feet with his sword, grinning impishly. "Easy enough," he says, laughing as he pokes Zuko in the torso and the head with the blunt end, repeatedly.

"Okay! Cut it out!" Zuko bursts out, yelling at Zuko with a glare. "Look, even if you're right, I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way."

"You're gonna need to learn Firebending from a different source. I recommend the original source," Toph says, stopping to slurp at her food.

Anja's eyes widen and she winces at that and she hurriedly looks down to avoid Zuko's gaze, but she momentarilt glances up, and-- their eyes meet and she winces when they do.

"Right, about that..." Anja starts hesitantly, frowning when Sokka cuts her off.

"How's he supposed to do that? By jumping into a volcano?"

"No. Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of Firebending is."

"So... is it jumping into a volcano?"

"I don't know," Toph says, shrugging noncommitally. "For Earthbenders, the original benders were badgermoles."

Anja tilts her head curiously, listening to Toph.

"One day, when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave. That's were I met them," Toph says, her voice brightening. They were blind, just like me. So, we understood each other. I was able to learn Earthbending, not just as a martial art, but also as an extension of my senses. For them, the original benders, it wasn't just about fighting. It was their way of interacting with the world."

"That's amazing, Toph!" Aang exclaims. "I learned from the monks, but the original Airbenders were the sky bison." He glances over his shoulder to look at Appa, dozing quietly. "Maybe you can give me a lesson sometime, buddy."

Anja nods, understanding. However, there's not much any of them can do about a non-angry Firebender's predicament.

"She's right," Anja says, glancing at Zuko. "My mother ran soon after I was born, and I lived in a Fire Nation colony. I didn't have any Waterbending Masters to turn to, or anyone who even knew a Waterbender, for that matter. I just learned from the moon and I figured out how to incorporate Firebending katas into my Waterbending."

Katara's face is a mixture of awe and sympathy, but before she can say anything, Zuko says, "Well, this doesn't help me. The original Firebenders were dragons and they're extinct."

"What do you mean?" Aang asks, but he doesn't notice Anja shaking her head frantically as subtly as she can. "Roku had a dragon, and there were plenty of dragons when I was a kid."

"Well, they aren't around anymore, okay?!" Zuko yells, losing his temper. 

Anja grimaces at that, mouthing a 'sorry' at Katara, who looks at Zuko, clearly irritated at his outbursts. 

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry," Aang says, holding up his hands appeasingly. 

"But, maybe, there's another way. The first people to learn from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors."

"Sun Warriors? Well, I know they weren't around when I was a kid."

"No, they died off thousands of years ago. But their civilization isn't too far from where we are now," Zuko says thoughtfully. "Maybe we can learn something from poking around their ruins."

"It's like the monks used to tell me," Aang remarks. "Sometimes, the shadows of the past can be felt by the present."

"So, what? Maybe you'll pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy just by where they stood a thousand years ago?" Sokka asks, sounding skeptical. 

"It's ancient-- if they don't 'pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy', they will likely find drawings or carvings of forms they can use," Anja says, frowning at Sokka. But she glances at Zuko and adds, albeit hesitantly, "Right?"

"More or less. There has to be something-- either I learn a new way to Firebend," Zuko pauses to glance back at all of them sitting around the fire. "--or the Avatar has to find a new teacher."

\--

The next day, Aang and Zuko are getting ready for their trip. Zuko consults a map with Aang while Katara prepares a light meal for the two of them. Anja's speaking to Sokka and Toph about his sword and her Earthbending.

"So, in theory, you could Earth-- or perhaps, Metalbend, Sokka's sword?" Anja questions, eyeing the gleaming, well-made meteorite sword.

"Sure. You wanna see?"

"No-- No, Toph, I don't want you demonstrating on my sword! Do you know how hard it was hammering it?" Sokka says, clutching his sword tightly.

"No. I was half-joking," Toph says, scoffing lightheartedly as she lands a punch on his shoulder. 

Sokka winces but rolls his eyes fondly.

"Your seismic sense-- you use vibrations, right? In order to sort of see and visualize anything touching the ground you're standing on, yes?" Anja asks Toph.

"I'm going to talk to Teo. I can't contribute in your magic talk," Sokka exclaims, getting up and wandering off. 

Anja gazes after him, shaking her head in amusement. 

"Yeah, that's how I know you're leaning on your right hand, and that Zuko and Aang still haven't moved a bit, and that Katara's walking towards them," Toph says, tilting her head in their direction and nodding at Anja's hand.

"Agni, that's phenomenal... Do you suppose I can do it with my Waterbending, perhaps with ice?"

Toph ponders the question. 

"I think it should work. But I don't know how to apply my Earthbending to your Waterbending. You Waterbenders are all graceful and stuff, aren't you?"

Anja smiles at that. "No, not all of us. I would like you to teach me later, once Aang and Zuko leave. If there's anyone who can figure out the science of Bending... it's me."

She gets up and says, "I'm going to give a teary farewell. I will be back."

"Take your time, smarty pants," Toph drawls out, getting up as well and ambling off to find someone to tease or somewhere to practice. 

Anja heads towards Zuko, Aang, and Katara.

"Hello," she starts, her gaze flickering between the shadows of the pillars and the three of them. "Are you leaving now?"

"If we want to make it back before dark, then yeah."

"It's not that far and we'll be back soon!" Aang supplied cheerily, patting Appa affectionately. He gets up on his bison's saddle, followed by Zuko, who pauses when Anja lays a hand on his shoulder.

"Be careful. Don't get yourself killed," she warns him, her tone serious. Then, Anja glances up at Aang. "Remember, the Sun Warriors may long be gone, but if their ruins are still quite intact... who knows what or who might be there."

Zuko nods tightly and clambers up the saddle. Aang, sitting on Appa's head, says, "Bye! We'll try and get back by dark! Appa, yip-yip!"

"Bye, Aang!" Katara calls, waving. Anja doesn't say anything, but she stares after Zuko, raising a hand in goodbye.


	2. better than boasting

Though Anja wasn't born in either of the Poles, she's always had a penchance for ice. Of course, she's had to minimize her Waterbending, and thus, her Icebending, but that doesn't mean she can't do it well.

The large, overflowing fountain is the perfect place to practice. But before she directs the water and stands in a giant puddle, she listens to Toph's instructions.

"You need to rely on your hearing and your bending. I feel the vibrations in the earth because of my Earthbending-- I listen and then I feel."

"Then, I believe I should focus not on feeling vibrations, but the energy in the ice," Anja remarks thoughtfully. "Would you show me an Earthbending move? Like a pillar of rock from the earth... or creating a wall?"

"Sure!" Toph gets into positions, her hands facing her and her legs pointing together. With a deliberate slide of her foot and her heel along with her hand in a stiff lifting motion, a tall, jagged pillar of rock rumbles from the ground in less than a second, only a few inches from Anja's face. "Pretty basic, but effective."

"Agni!" Anja exclaims, an impressed look on her face as she recalls the stance and studies the rock's form. "Amazing! You used your feet to force the jing through the earth, and your hand to guide it!"

A calculating look crosses her face, then she tries out a move that, in theory, should give her the exact pillar Toph created-- a pillar made of ice. 

She envisions the energy-- the jing coursing through her. Her left hand raises, gracefully pulling it towards her body and tightly compressing it by making a fist. Anja stiffly envisions pushing the energy down into the ground, all through the soles of her feet. With an angled slide and then kick of the heel, the energy bursts from her body into what should be a column of ice. 

Anja lets out a deep breath. "I believe I understand the theory," she tells Toph.

"I'd say, 'I saw, it was great!' but I can't see."

She laughs and directs her attention towards the large fountain, and then reroutes the water, once cascading down the ravine, now pooling up to her bare feet and ankles.Toph takes several steps back, avoiding the water.

"Good luck, smarty pants!" Toph calls out, to her. "Hey, Katara, check out what Anja's working on!"

Katara bounds over, taking in the expanding puddle of water and Anja standing in the middle of it. She cocks her head to the side and asks, "What's that for?"

"I will attempt to Waterbend like an Earthbender," Anja says determinedly. She inhales deeply and then gets into her stance, fluid and smooth. She feels Katara's eyes on her and for a brief moment, her will falters in the face of a Waterbending master. 

You're practicing. That's better than boasting and failing, she reminds herself.

The water responds to her. Anja recalls the movements, the kata step by step, and with a huff of breath, she lets the neutral jing fill and then surge down her feet, her heel striking the ground.

A wickedly sharp spike, made entirely of translucent, still frosty ice juts from the exact point Anja intended it to start from, the razor edged tip pointing towards the fountain. Anja steps back, a look of awe on her face.

"I did it!" She laughs, poking it.

"That's great! But isn't it easier to attack or defend yourself with water?" Katara questions, trying to hide her skepticism. "I mean, what about traditional Waterbending katas? Like in the Northern style?"

Anja frowns a little, but maintains her proud disposition. "Yes, but I have never studied even one move. We did spar, but I was paying more attention to attempting to beat you that watching how you beat me."

"I could teach you. It would be a lot easier than figuring out your own moves," Katara offers, smiling slightly. "But it is impressive how it seems to come so easily. When I was just starting out, it took me months to figure out basic moves!"

"I did have my father to assist me. Firebender as he is, he has a more than adequate understanding of the theories behind bending. He and I would try and work on my Waterbending by the sea with the waves when no one was around to see us."

"Your dad seems like a good man," Katara says carefully. "He doesn't seem like most Fire Nation people."

Anja huffs out a small smile. "Yes, he is. I do not think I would be quite me had he shared the Fire Lord's sentiments."

"If you're friends with Zuko, then you must be a noble," Toph states suddenly. "I mean, you walk like one."

Anja raises a brow. "And if I am? I am not rhw only one who has heard of the Beifong family's wealth and influence," she says, sounding a little defensive. 

Toph snorts and says, "Please, if you're thinking of family, then I've got nothing on Sugar Queen, right here. Her dad's the chief of the Southern Water Tribe!"

"Isn't that so! Why, Katara, you must be royalty, in a way. I am only a noble by appointment." Anja smirks at Katara's mildly annoyed face. "If I had been raised in the Southern Water Tribe, I might have been your lady-in-waiting."

"I'm not royalty!" Katara protests, crossing her arms. "Don't be so annoying! My dad was elected!"

\--

"Hello!" Anja greets, holding out her hand, beaming. "We were introduced earlier, but we did not get a chance to speak to each other. Haru, yes?" 

Haru nods and takes her hand. "Yeah. You're Anja, Zuko's friend?"

"Yes, I am. I have heard of your escape from the shipyard. I don't know that warden in charge of it, but I do know of him," She says, her voice full of disgust. "How have you been faring since then?"

"Well, we managed to liberate our village. It was brutal, especially with us so close to Fire Nation, but we managed," Haru confesses. He looks a bit uncomfortable, especially since he's obviously speaking to a Fire Nation girl.

"You are not the only one who has come from a colony," Anja smiles, sounding a little rueful. "I am from Crescent City-- off the east coast of Chameleon Bay. Do you know of it?"

Haru looks a bit surprised. "You mean the city that fell to the Fire Nation army a few decades ago?" he questions, raising a brow. 

Anja stifles a laugh and says, "Please, my father is not that old. The city fell to him-- he is the governor of Crescent City."

Haru's face shifts, and anger seems to be glowing un his eyes, quite like hot coals. "I've heard of your city. We've all heard rumors of what happens to your Earthbenders." His tone is sharp and accusing, but reined in.

Anja frowns at that. "I am in the same council with the people who perpetuated those rumours. I'm no fool-- do you think I would allow the residents of my father's city suffer?"

"No, but... not to be rude or anything, but what would you have really done about it?" Haru asks, his tone more subdued. He doesn't sound too upset. "You're not much older than us."

"I am the next governor of Crescent City. I would be on the Board of Councilors even if I was opposed to it," Anja says, trying not to sound too flippant about it. "Of course, the other councilors are not aware of my Waterbending, but my votes and opinions do carry weight."

Haru nods awkwardly. The silence is uncomfortable, so Anja laughs, sounding somewhat strained, and continues, "So, uh, Katara told me you're a pretty good Earthbender. Would you show me some forms?"

The topic is easier to talk about, and she and Haru discuss his technique and he makes several demonstrations. They spar a little, and much to Haru's amusement, she uses his own moves against him.

"You are good at this," Anja grunts, a barrage of ice shards shooting at Haru as she moves in a whirling kick. "I'm tired," she huffs, holding her hands up in surrender.

Haru, who just managed to block the ice with a wall of stone, grins, albeit wryly, and says, "You're good sport."

Anja rolls her eyes and says, "I hope so. I am making a point of being a better person because Zuko is trying, too, but I might just be a snake in a turtleduck's clothing."


	3. would've been dead

Night falls and the sky darkens quickly. Katara is pacing fretfully, casting her eyes up every now and then. Anja only waits in silence, but she's a little worried too. 

Katara's obviously worried for Aang. "If he even breathes the wrong way, Tui help me," she hissed under her breath earlier, a particularly dark look on her face, not caring whether she was in Anja, Zuko, or Aang's earshot.

Anja's a bit worried for Aang, too. After all, if they don't figure out this problem with Zuko's Firebending-- or rather, the lack of it, then Aang would have to find a new teacher. 

But quite honestly, being the rather individualistic person she is, she's worried for Zuko. She didn't inform Katara of this-- she empathizes with the girl's distrust, but doesn't quite understand her intense hatred. 

Yes, I might have to try and pry it out of her, Anja thinks, watching Katara pace out of the corner of her eye. I'll have to figure out what I'm going to say, first.

A small, quite nihilistic part of Anja tells her that Zuko and Aang might come back, Firebending-less, and then Zuko doesn't have a reason to stay, and then neither does she, and--

Shut up! 

That voice in her head is a little too loud sometimes. She decides to pay attention to what's happening now. With a deep sigh, Anja says to Katara, "I do not think they will return tonight."

"What?" Katara asks, whirling around to look at her. She looks strangely annoyed, but she waits for Anja to reply.

"They won't come back tonight. I highly doubt it," Anja repeats. She's silent for a moment, but she finally continu es with a low sigh. "Don't worry. Zuko would never attack Aang in his sorry state. He's not stupid, Aang can take him."

For the first time, Katara glares at Anja like she does to Zuko. It's quite frightening to be the recipient of such a stare, but Anja doesn't back down. She knows what it's like to be at the end of condescending, arrogant looks-- what more is Katara's affronted glower?

"That's not what I mean. I don't understand how you can be so certain about Zuko," Katara snaps, crossing her arms. "You seem to trust him and be all nice to him, but you don't know what he did to us, do you?"

Anja shakes her head. "No, I do. I did my research-- I knew what I was getting into, especially with Zuko," she says, her voice patient. "But, Katara, you don't know what his world has done to him, either. It might seem like he's chasing Aang just for honor, but he has lost a lot of things with it."

"He's put all our lives at risk," Katara says insistently, her voice edging into a hot snarl. She gesticulates to the blasted cliff face in the distance. "Did you already forget about Combustion Man! He sent Combustion Man!"

"Aang forgave him, didn't he?" Anja prods. "I understand why you wouldn't forgive him so easily, but what I cannot understand why you hate him so much. Will you tell me why?"

Katara's hot, unrelenting stare softens. Anja reminds herself that though this girl is younger than her, she's matured far too quickly for her age. If anything, Katara's more experienced in surviving. 

"If you really did your research, then, do you know what happened in Ba Sing Se?" Katara asks, her voice still a bit sharp. 

"Zuko ran from the Fire Nation, but when Princess Azula invaded Ba Sing Se from within, he allied himself with her and--" Anja pauses and purses her lips. Her voice sounds strained upon continuing. "He killed Aang. Or, so we thought."

Katara looks even more irate. "So, he took the glory for himself, didn't he?" she says icily. "Surprise, surprise, it wasn't Zuko who killed Aang. It was Azula."

What did he do? What happened to General Iroh?

The startling realization is enough to leave Anja speechless and stunned. There's a guilty but calculating look flickering in her eyes, but Katara's already barreling on.

"I... I trusted him for a moment when we were trapped in the Crystal Catacombs," Katara says, her tone bitter like the words are curdling in her mouth. "I offered to heal his scar with the same water I used to heal Aang with, after Azula struck him with lightning. Had Aang arrived a little too late, he would've been dead."

There's a torn, awful look of guilt on Anja's face. For whom, Katara did not know.

"I am sorry. That must've been terrible."

"It was."

"But he didn't take the glory for himself," Anja finally says. Her voice is quiet, but there's a quelling tone to it that stops Katara in her tracks. "Azula's skills aren't limited to her prodigious blue fire. She's a manipulative, cunning liar."

Katara looks a bit surprised to hear the starkly honest words fall from Anja's mouth so freely. For the past two days they've known each other, Anja has been nothing but cheery and nice and generally tactful.

"I'm lucky to never have have to deal with Azula, many thanks to my father, but I have spoken with her enough times to know that she is always three steps ahead of all of us."

Anja's face quirks into a strange expression, and she continues, "I am a politician-in-training, Katara. I do not believe I am as wily and manipulative as Azula, but everything people in power say and do are done for a reason.

"Why would Zuko send Combustion Man if he decided to take the glory for himself? Would he send an assassin that would never stop hunting you until his prey was dead? No, Zuko did not think that Aang was truly dead. Zuko's chased you around the world-- he's not stupid. He would not take credit for something he wasn't certain of."

Anja's a bit annoyed at Katara's dull, stunned silence. Her voice, now much more sharp and firm, carries into the air clearly. Now, Anja might not be a Waterbending Master like Katara, but she is a master at speaking. 

"Azula claimed that he killed Aang becuase, if Aang did live-- as he is now, then who would take the fall? Certainly not her," Anja purses her lips. "Who would be the disgrace?"

A sardonic laugh erupts from Anja's throat, startling Katara. Anja's bright, amber eyes look cold in the faint moonlight, but her chest burns with a wild hatred for the Fire Lord. It used to be mild, more like chagrin than a true, furious anger. But this anger...?

"Zuko would be the victim to his father once more."

This fury in her heart hasn't been with her too long, but it exploded and boiled over when, before they approached Team Avatar, Zuko had answered her questions about his uncle's tea shop. He tried to hide his fondness for his uncle, but the sheer happiness, though still guarded, had gutted her. How could the Fire Lord be so cruel to someone like Zuko? 

"What do you mean 'once more'?" Katara asks, surprised, interrupting Anja's angry reverie. 

Anja's stiff disposition falters and she shakes her head. "It's not my place to tell you, I'm sorry," she says, her voice sinking with tiredness. Her eyes meet Katara's curious but understanding gaze. "You can ask him, if you truly want to know."

Katara's face hardens at that, but she nods at Anja. "I understand. I... I get why you don't hate him as much, I get it from your point of view. I'm sorry--"

Anja waves her off. "You've nothing to be sorry for, Katara. You're rightfully upset and distrustful of him, and I won't judge you for holding a grudge. Thank you for talking to me."

Katara nods again, strangely enough, at a loss for words.

"I am going to sleep. Goodnight, Katara," Anja says, pausing to nod back awkwardly. She walks away and towards her sleeping area. 

She did get what she needed from Katara. But, along with that, came her sudden doubts, rising like corks in water. Is Zuko really not going to betray them this time? What if he does? The nagging fear is wearing her out, and she decides to sleep it off. Besides, she's spent the day practicing and creating new forms and she sparred with Haru for a while. 

Anja fixes her makeshift pillow and blanket, courtesy of Zuko and his many shirts, on the hard ground. With a deep, almost shaky sigh, she lets herself drift and wait for sleep.


	4. sweetly cold

"It's not a dance. It's a firebending form." Zuko says, clearly trying to be patient. His voice is a little tight and his eyes flicker with the faintest hint of annoyance, but he does attempt to keep his voice as neutral as possible.

"We'll just tap-dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord," Sokka smirks, his fingers waggling teasingly.

"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!" Zuko protests, stalking towards Sokka in a slightly threatening manner. No harm, of course, but it's amusing how easily Zuko's riled up.

"Oh, yeah?" Katara simpers, her smile identical to Sokka's smirk. "What's your little form called?"

Zuko's firm stance towards Sokka slouches the slightest bit and he hesitates, chagrined. "The Dancing Dragon."

They all burst into laughter.

Zuko cringes and makes a face, much to everyone's amusement. Anja watches this, pleased that Aang and Zuko have figured out their Firebending fiasco and come out alive.

She hasn't spoken to Zuko since her warning from the day before, but she couldn't bring herself to speak to him easily with all the doubts swirling in her head. That conversation with Katara last night was much needed, but her sudden hesitation around Zuko left her chest tight with shame.

Anja might just be overthinking it. If anything, that nasty habit of hers has long been overdue. A short burst of it the day before when Aang and Zuko left for the Sun Warriors' ruins wasn't enough to sate her monthly quota of overthinking. But the gnawing, nagging feeling that's telling her to go over what she knows once, twice, or even thrice more is all-consuming.

"Hey, what's up with you?" Sokka asks her, abruptly pulling Anja from her train of thought. Her head snaps towards him as she draws back, startled. Sokka had flinched at her sudden movement-- Why's he standing? Weren't we just..?

"Sorry, I zoned out," Anja says, a frown tugging on her lips. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Looks like it. Anyway, Zuko told me that you could fish. Care to help me out later?" Sokka asks, helping her up with a tug. "We're running out of fish and meat and I refuse to eat rice without it."

Anja shrugs. "Alright, call me when you get ready." She raises a hand in goodbye and trudges off, leaving Sokka alone.

She hasn't had the chance to explore the temple yet, and though she wants to talk to Zuko, she hasn't quite tamped down her guilt and doubts enough to have a casual conversation with him.

She wanders up steps and long corridors, admiring the upside-down view. The air is surprisingly cold for a summer day, but she pays no heed to it and carries on. The temple is old, but certainly not crumbling. Did the Fire Nation have to fight, or did the monks just surrender?

A thick wave of guilt swallows her whole and she stops in the middle of a narrow, long hall illuminated by the wide, unglazed windows. The wind whistles past her and a creeping feeling crawls up her spine.

The shadows of the past can be felt by the present.

She shrugs away the distracting thought, but the eerie emptiness of the temple nags in the back of her mind.

"Shadows can't hurt me," Anja says to the air rushing past her. She determinedly stares down the long corridor as if trying to stare down a phantom, something certainly not there.

But when a stray leaf, crumpled and yellow, floats into the room and swirls before her, landing on a strange marking on the ground, she steps back with a jolt. She hadn't been looking at the ground, and she overlooked the dark, jet black marks scorched into the stone.

So, there was a battle.

For a brief moment, her fingers itch for her bow. And shame flickers through her-- how could she want to shoot and practice her weapon in a place that didn't want it there?

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, spirits," Anja says, bowing deeply with her eyes cast down. "I will not make my bow, nock my string, or shoot here. I mean no disrespect."

She rises from her position and continues exploring the temple. But even if she said she wouldn't have a real bow here, she could certainly think of one.

"Master Shang, I would rest for a moment," Anja stated, lowering her bow and turning to the figure sitting in the shade. The sun beat down hard that day, leaving the top of her head hot to the touch.

"Shoot another quiver and then you can have a sip of water," Shang grumbled, the scroll in his hands unraveling.

"You're brutal!" Anja complained, but she picked up a full quiver and got into the shooting position. With a swift, practiced move, her arrow was nocked and poised to shoot, the bowstring firmly pressing against her mouth.

She lets out a low breath and closes her eyes, focusing on the image of her arrow flying through the ten rings on thread, and sticking a landing in the dead center of the eleventh.

Anja opens her eyes, and with another breath, the bow whizzes through the air and lands exactly where it's supposed to be.

"Kina, it did not hit any rings, did it?" Anja asked, lowering her bow to look at the green-eyed girl pulling the arrow from the target. "Did it embed itself deeply?"

"No, and yes," Kina grunted, grappling the shaft and giving it a hard tug. The arrow loosened and Kina stepped away, giving Anja space to shoot again.

And Anja continued shooting, her arrows flying and landing with a hard thunk in the wooden target, Kina hurriedly removing the arrows, and Anja carrying on.

"Master Shang, I emptied ten quivers. I would rest now," Anja said firmly, her golden eyes glowing with a firm stare.

Shang glanced up to look at her and then he sighed. "Fine. You may rest for a while. And then we shoot five more, yes?" But before he got back to his scroll, his eyes flickered to the side of her face. "Kina, would you get her a washcloth and cold water?"

"Yes, Master Shang!" Kina said, hurrying off to the house.

"I haven't a need for a washcloth, Master Shang," Anja said, puzzled. She headed for his table and picked up her glass of water, the cool drink soothing her throat.

"If you managed to cut your face with the fletching, then I'm not sure what you did to your arm." Shang gave her a disapproving stare as she took off her arm guards with a cautious wince. "You're being careless."

"Master Shang, I--"

"Here you are," Kina said, carrying a bucket and a washcloth. She set it down with a clatter and her cheeks tinted with embarassment as she said, "Sorry, I'll go."

Anja opened her mouth to speak to her Master again, but--

"Anja!" She whirls around to see the Duke and Teo walking towards her. "Hello, Teo. Hello, the Duke."

The little boy beams. "Hey, you got my name right! Did'ja hear that, Teo?" the Duke says pointedly while running up to her. "Sokka's gonna go hunting. He said you said you were gonna come!"

Anja smiles, and replies, "Yes, thank you for finding me. If you two need a nice corridor to race, I suggest going along this way a little farther. The stone seems to be mostly untouched there."

The two of them nod, and they head off, chatting about weapons and inventions.

Anja, on the other hand, hurried back the way she came and looks for Sokka. He's holding his machete and his club as he leans against the wall while talking to Zuko. A pleased smile crosses Anja's face as she seems them interacting amiably.

"Hel-- Hey," Anja says, cutting off the more formal greeting. She reminds herself that even the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation speaks less formally than her. "Do you have a basket or anything like that? I could get my spear if you do not."

"Sorry, I don't have a basket. Anyway, Zuko said he wanted to come," Sokka says, shrugging. "I don't know why you'd want to-- I mean, you just returned from a quick trip," he continues, looking at Zuko.

Anja hurries off to find her spear. A couple of moments later, she returns to see Sokka holding his machete and Zuko holding Sokka's club with evident skepticism in his eyes.

\--

"I'm gonna look for meat. Zuko, wanna come?" Sokka asks, stepping away from the bank of the river.

"Sure," Zuko shrugs. His eyes stray to Anja, who's taking a Waterbending stance in front of the river.

"None of you are allergic to crab, yes?" Anja calls out to their receding forms. She doesn't get a response. With an annoyed huff, she gets back to her stance. Perhaps it would just be easier to go underwater?

Anja shrugs and takes her spear as she wades past the shallower end of the wide river. Her chest, shoulders, and then neck submerge, and when the water is rushing at her chin, Anja lowers her head and keeps walking until she reaches the river bed.

The air bubble she's holding keeps water from rushing at her face. It's not the first time she's taken a stroll underwater, but instead of practicing her respiration, she holds the bubble to focus on fishing better than breathing.

Though it's a good deal darker and colder in the depths of the river, it's not very deep. Perhaps ten or eleven chi?* And the clear water, though certainly colder than the ripples lapping at the riverbank, is wonderfully fresh.

Not saline or brackish like the nearby rivers back home, but pure and sweetly cold.

A fish darts in front of her, a dark blur. Anja hefts her spear with her free hand and, as she points her flat palm in the direction of the fish, she throws the spear.

The water propels it, and with another flick and thrust, the fish is desperately writhing on her spear and it returns to her hand.

"Well," Anja says to the group of fish swimming towards her, and her eyes briefly flicker to the river bed, eyeing the scuttling crabs with eagerness. "that would be one down. I suppose, four to go?"


	5. like a heathen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and a bit of a filler because I used up the rest of my brain on my Snape fic, I'm sorry.

Anja eventually hears, though muffled and difficult to make out, Sokka and Zuko returning. She's finishing up her fishing and she's just caught the last crab a few seconds ago. She hears Sokka and Zuko's confusion, but she decides to take her sweet time on her trek back to the river bank.

The bright, afternoon light scintillates through the water, sparkling and allowing it to brighten the bottom of the dark river bed with clear beams of light. Anja continues her slow descent, her left hand holding the seafood laden spear and the right hand holding up her bubble of air.

"Should we look for her? You don't think she drowned, do you?"

"Oh, yeah, that's likely. Does that happen a lot, Waterbenders drowning?"

"Yeah, what about Firebenders burning?"

Sokka and Zuko's bantering leaves her huffing in amusement. She's closer to the surface, and her head is right about to break through the slowly flowing water. Anja drops her right hand as soon as her head just about brushes the surface, and she sticks her head through the water, quite far from the bank.

"Hel--"

"What the fuck?" Zuko jumps, staring at her, bewildered. Anja continues walking towards the shore, her head perfectly dry though her shoulders are soaking wet, as she gives him a withering stare. Sokka also stares at Zuko, though more in shock and newfound admiration than the disapproval in Anja's eyes.

"For your information, I was not drowning. And, Zuko, don't be such a heathen," Anja says, frowning at the two of them. Her frown becomes deeper as she notes the affronted look on Zuko's face.

Zuko copies her withering look and says, "I hunted a komodo chicken with a club. Alright, I won't swear. Don't want to seem like a heathen in front of Miss Goody-Two-Shoes."

"You're impossible," Anja snaps, getting out of the water completely and Waterbending her clothes dry. She raises an eyebrow at Sokka, who's staring at her hair with a befuddled expression. She shakes her head and deigns not to tell him how she managed to fish while underwater without getting her perfectly sleek hair wet and not letting a strand get out of place.

"Well, shall we?" she asks, gesturing to their path ahead. Sokka marches ahead and Zuko waits for her to move. 

Anja hesitates for a moment, Katara's words suddenly swirling in her head like ink in water. With obvious irritation, she forcefully pushes the thoughts from her head. Zuko notices the sudden, strangely vindictive look crossing her face and he frowns. Anja hurriedly tries to make it a smile, but from the dubious look on his face, it must've looked more like a grimace.

She steps ahead of him, refraining from looking back.

"I don't very much mind you swearing," Anja says somewhat stiffly, not glancing over her shoulder. "I was just somewhat startled. I mean, most people don't expect some form of their bending to be received with very loud cursing, do you?"

"You've got a point there," Zuko replies, his voice dry.

"My father is, at the simplest way of putting it, a sailor. He swore frequently when we were with comfortable company. Sokka, did your father ever swear in front of you?"

"Sometimes," Sokka says, pushing past branches. "He did it in front of Katara just before the invasion and she got mad."

Anja mentally thanks him for diffusing her tension and Zuko's evident unease. The two of them laugh while Zuko muffles a low chuckle. As they head back to the Western Air Temple, slowly descending to where the others sat, they fall into easy conversation and talk about everyone else.

"Has Katara always held long grudges?" Anja says, stepping over a large tree root jutting through the cracked stone. "She seems to be as excellent at Waterbending as she is at holding grudges."

Sokka considers the question. 

"Well, she has a lot of righteous anger. She forgives you if you apologize unless you really messed up."

Anja glances back at Zuko, their eyes meeting. He winces at that, but doesn't say anything. 

"It seems so. And she and Aang-- are they a couple?"

Sokka stops in his tracks and turns to look at her, an incredulous look in his eyes. "You can't ask me that! I'm her big brother!" he protests. 

Anja laughs and says, "I apologize. I did not expect you to react to dramatically."

"I think they are," Sokka mutters under his breath, just loud enough for her and Zuko to hear. "Anyway, I wanted to ask, why do you talk so formally? Not even Zuko talks like that," he says pointedly, glancing over his shoulder as they continue walking.

"I was raised to speak formally. I know it's quite 'stuck-up', yes. But I do speak as you do when I am around certain people."

"It's not stuck-up. Surprising, but it's not really your fault if you grew up talking like that. Did you talk like that when you were three or something?" Zuko says from behind her.

"I don't think so," Anja says thoughtfully. "But I do not recall ever calling my father anything but that."

"It is a little bit stuck-up," Sokka insists half-heartedly. He glances back to look at Anja, and then he looks at Zuko, and says, "Not even Azula spoke like that."

"I am not someone you will compare with Azula!" Anja says, her voice suddenly bordering on outrage as she smacks Sokka's shoulder. Without a backwards glance, she says to Zuko, "I will not apologize for that."

"I'd be wondering how unaware you are of... the current situation, if you did," Zuko says, his smirk clear in his voice. "Sokka, you can't go around comparing people to Azula. That's mean," Zuko says, his tone sardonic.

Anja glances back at Zuko. His eyes, bright and gold, spark with wry amusement. She shakes her head at him, letting a smile break through her lips.

\--

"Wow, you guys brought a lot of food!" Katara exclaims, her eyes suddenly sparkling. She appreciatively eyes the meat and seafood, and smiles when she spots the mini-sack of scrounged up fruits and vegetables for Aang.

"I took the liberty of gathering crabs, but I am afraid I do not know how to prepare or, well, open them," Anja says, making a face at the damp, green-gray creature furiously trying to throw itself off her spear. "Do you know how?"

Katara tilts her head at it, a somewhat puzzled look on her face.

"I think I can figure it out," she says, offering Anja a somewhat tense smile. Their conversation the previous night hasn't settled yet. "Could you help me cook?"

"I will help you with the fish. That," she says but pauses, her eyes briefly flickering from the limp fish on the spear in her hand to Zuko's eyes, "I have experience with."

Anja rests the spear laden with fish and crabs on a flate, smooth stone that Katara had, evidently, cleaned. She takes out her knife and sits down, then she begins preparing the food.

"Sokka, did you gather any firewood?" Katara asks her brother, who shakes his head, a frown on his face. "Hey, we gathered a lot of food-- meat and leaves and seafood! We couldn't just carry everything!"

"Well," Katara starts, a placating tone to her voice, "I think we'll need some. It seems like it's gonna be cold tonight and we have more food to cook. Go gather enough food to make a spit, too."

"Alright, keep your hair on. Zuko?"

"Okay."

Anja's half-way done her first fish. She spills its guts out and waterbends it into the distance, tossing it off the edge of the large resting area. She continues, but this time, Katara's getting down to help her.

The silence is unbearably tense as they work side by side, refusing to meet each other's gazes. Anja decides that she will act her age.

"So, did you eat a lot of seafood in the poles?"

Katara looks at her, a somewhat surprised look crossing her face. It softens, though, and she smiles tentatively.

"Yeah! Not crabs, though. We ate fish and seal."

"Really? I've never had seal meat before. What does it taste like?"

"Well... it's a bit like komodo chicken. A bit more tough and a bit fattier."

"How interesting! Have you ever had platypus bear before? It's quite the delicacy, you know."


	6. knowledge is power

Anja frowns at the blob of water hovering before her, squinting at it under the cloudy, dark sky. She tilts her head in puzzlement then she turns her hand to a different direction. The water bubbles up almost instantaneously and she winces at the sudden heat of it. But she doesn't let it cool down-- instead she makes is grow hotter and hotter until it's nothing but wispy steam.

Then, with a tug of her wrist, the steam swirls back into a blob. 

Anja grins-- she's finally figured out condensation. Well, that's another tick in her book of tricks. She creates a thin, quick stream of water going around in a spherical manner. With her free hand, Anja lifts a lock of her hair and holds it up to the pressurized water. 

"Er, hey--"

Anja starts with a jolt. The water, still warm, wet her lap and she looks up at the speaker. It's Zuko, standing over her with a sort of vaguely embarrassed look on his face. She smiles at him wanly and says, "Hello. You startled me."

"Uh, sorry about that," he says, sounding horrendously awkward. "I just wanted to see what you were up to-- I mean-- Uh, I--"

"Oh, I'm having difficulty sleeping," Anja says, a placating look on her face. "I have never slept on stone with someone's clothes as a pillow. Would you join me?"

Zuko stares at her for a moment then takes his seat next to her, his feet dangling over the edge of the stone floor into the misty nothing below. He glances at her curiously, but then his eyes land on something dark in her lap. It's difficult to see exactly what it is, but her clothes are fire red and, even under the clouded moon, he can make out what it is.

"Is that your hair?" Zuko says, bewilderment in his voice. 

Anja freezes, but then she quickly looks down at her lap. "Oh, heavens!" she cries out, picking up a strand of hair and holding it between her fingers. "I cannot believe I cut it!"

Zuko stares at her for a moment. "Wow. That's bad."

She looks at him askance. "Oh, oh, yes," she says slowly, narrowing her eyes at him as if wondering if he was joking or not-- and she is doing that, wondering if he meant to say that with all seriousness. "It is very much bad. I now have one-- what is that? a twelfth of a regular kind of bangs? This is horrendous. I look like a five-year-old running amok with a pair of scissors!"

She huffs and it's deathly silent for a moment.

"I don't think it looks too bad. Why don't you... I don't know, tuck it behind your ear?"

Anja shrugs noncommittally. "What is done is done," she says, a flippant tinge to her voice. "I did not expect you to be quite-- well, you. Did you know that?" She eyes Zuko, watching his reaction. It's a sudden question, but she thinks he's awkward enough to not refuse answering.

He does not look too bothered about it. "What do you mean?"

"You're not very formal, are you? Or prim and proper, I might add. You look like you fit into this ragtag bunch of children," she says, glancing over her shoulder and then looking straight back at him. "I don't say it with ill thought. I had expected the Avatar and his companions to be hardened by war. Or, less like their age."

"I didn't expect it either."

"But they suffered too, didn't they? And... well, so did you," she says this tentatively this time, her face falling into a sort of frown. 

"I did," he says firmly. "And it wasn't my fault. I'm pretty sure of that now."

"Katara does not see it that way. She told me the truth, not what the Fire Lord had touted around. What Azula lied about," she says. Her voice is quiet and there's not a hint of emotion in it. Careful, precise. "Was it as bad as she had told me?"

Zuko looks ashamed.

"It was," he admits. "I saw that chance, and I took it like a gullible idiot. If only I knew what Azula had planned-- she's always three steps ahead and anything she seems to do for you is another three steps for her and a step back for you. But it was still my fault for taking that chance." 

Strangely enough, there's no hate in his voice. "I have to apologize to you," Anja finally says, her voice a touch warmer. "I doubted you after Katara told me the truth. In all honesty, I have never seen you in a bad light, I tell you that. But I still doubted you and I feel-- I feel awful about it."

Zuko looks flustered, but he says, "Thanks." And he leaves it at that.

She glances back over her shoulder. The last of the hot coals are dying down, but she can still see someone pacing near it. It seems to be Sokka. She wonders why he's still up, but she's not going to approach him and ask. Honestly, she prefers Zuko's awkwardness over Sokka's rambling confidence. She doesn't find him annoying, exactly. Just a touch exhausting to be around.

"Do you think Sokka's planning something?" she asks Zuko, who also looks over his shoulder to see Sokka pacing.

"Maybe."

\--

"C'mon, you have to make the fire really hot!" Zuko yells, his voice tinged with a touch of frustration as he trains Aang. From Anja's point of view, it looks like brutal work. She watches Aang take a deep breath and then jab at the air with his fists. The fire is big but it's only a dull red. Zuko's right-- it's too cool to properly burn.

"Jerks doing their jerk bending," she hears Sokka say from behind her. 

She turns to look at him smiling smugly. "Don't speak like that. I know you're Captain Boomerang but can you really best Zuko with that?" she asks, raising a brow at the boomerang strapped to his back. "But you do have a rather lovely sword, I suppose. It makes up for... er, your boomerang."

"Don't be mean to my boomerang. I'll have you know I once hit Zuko in the head with it at the South Pole. His helmet saved him," Sokka counters, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Uh huh," Anja says, grinning. "Yes, yes, your boomerang is cute. But tell me about your sword. I've never seen anything like it." She rolls her eyes, smiling, when his chest puffs with pride. 

"Well, I made it. So Swordy is one of a kind-- it's made of an asteroid. Swordy's a space sword. I trained under a Fire Nation master, his name is Piandao. Do you know him?"

Anja tilts her head. "Well," she starts, drawing out the word as she thinks. "He is one of the best swordsmen of the Fire Nation. I suppose he is quite well-known. I have reason to believe that he also trained Zuko when he was younger. Before Zuko's banishment, I mean."

She pauses, an incredulous look on her face. "Wait, did you name your sword Swordy?"

"Yeah. Hey, it's a good name," Sokka says, sounding too defensive for her to believe him. 

"Uh huh," she says, skepticism clear in her voice.

"But, I mean, that's pretty cool," Sokka muses, eyeing Zuko mercilessly berating Aang. "Zuko being trained by Piandao. I'm gonna ask him if he wants to spar sometime. Say, how'd you know about that, anyway?"

"Master Piando," she corrects instinctively, her golden eyes reproachful.

"I used to live in Caldera city," she answers. "Without my father because he was trying to invade Ba Sing Se. This was roughly eight or six years ago, mind you. He was a diffeent man. And my father's high-ranking, so, I studied at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls and I had a..." Anja pauses, a somewhat uncomfortable look crossing her face.

But Sokka still looks expectant, curious to know. She continues anyway.

"There was a girl I used to know. Not anymore, I truly dislike her now. And she knew the inside of the royal family's lives like the back of her hand. Knowledge is power but she and I were close friends. So, she told me."

"So, you're really a noble, then. Like Toph." There's no question in his voice. "I didn't exactly believe it, y'know? Maybe leaning more on your dad being a powerful mayor."

"Yes, I suppose," she says slowly. "Is she, though?" she continues, wrinkling her nose disbelievingly. 

Sokka laughs. "Yeah, her parents protected her too much. She used to wrestle in Earth Rumble VI, did you know that? She was the champion."

"That's amazing. She is, indeed, the greatest Earthbender in the world." Anja pauses and looks at Sokka, her brow knitting. "I have a question to ask of you, though. I believe there was a female warrior recorded in the stories of your various escapes from Zuko. And she was quite important, but I'm quite certain she's not here. Who is she?"

A strange look passes over his face. Anja knows that Sokka wears his heart on his sleeve-- perhaps less so than Katara, but the two of them are quite alike. Something quite like hurt and anger had flickered in his eyes, but there was also a touch of a smile. Very strange, she thinks.

"Her name's Suki. She's in charge of the Kyoshi Warriors and she's sort of my girlfriend," he says, a somewhat rueful grin on his lips. "But Azula captured her-- Azula messed with me, telling me that when I had to focus on finding the Fire Lord on the Day of the Black Sun."

A sick feeling had crawled its way into her throat. "I'm sorry," she says. Typical Azula. She knew Sokka was a threat, she distracted him, and it worked. "It must've been awful."

"It was hard," he says. "But I'll find a way to rescue her. And everyone else we've had to leave behind."

"Who?"

"The people who I-- we couldn't save," Sokka says, his voice catching.

"We'll save them," Anja says firmly. It's terrible to know that it's only her life that she risked when she came to help the Avatar-- not even her father had known about this escapade of hers. But Zuko, Sokka, Katara, Aang and Toph had all left behind and had been left behind by the people they cared for deeply. And she only had her life. At first, she didn't think the stakes were this high-- well, there was no one to lose. But now? "We'll save them and or die trying."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I WARNED YOU GUYS. I know, I haven't updated in, like, three weeks and that's terrible and it's the middle of the week, but I did say it would end up sporadic at some point. I've hit a bit of a writer's block writing 7000 words for the second chapter of WINBSD and I'm a bit distracted because I decided to read some BBC Sherlock and Broadchurch fics (sigh, Alec Hardy~). I'm really sorry it's short, but we'll get to the better stuff in a chapter or two. Don't worry, though, I can assure you guys I'm never going to abandon this ever. However, I will say that a kudos gives that writer's block an uppercut and a couple of comments will give it a KO.


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